The present invention relates to a dispensing system and more particularly, relates to a dispensing apparatus suitable for dispensing cleaning chemicals for automotive purposes.
In many automobile dealerships, a number of cleaning operations are required during the course of a day. In order to meet this requirement, a typical dealership must normally stock in excess of eight types of chemicals required for specific cleaning purposes. Normally, these cleaning chemicals are maintained in some type of store room and access is freely granted to employees who might need to use the same.
The cost associated with the use of such cleaning chemicals is normally regarded as a xe2x80x9ccost of doing businessxe2x80x9d. However, I have found that the cost associated with the cleaning chemicals is substantially higher than required and that the costs can be reduced substantially by providing a system to control usage of the same. Indeed, it is possible to turn the operation into a profit centre for the automobile dealership.
There is a substantial loss associated with the use of these cleaning chemicals which typically come in bulk containers. According to my development, there is provided a dispensing system to control the usage and wastage of such chemicals.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling costs and inventory in a service department of an automobile dealership wherein a plurality of flowable products in bulk containers are used for servicing a vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a storage and dispensing device for use in an automobile dealership having a service department.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improvement in an automobile dealership having a service department and wherein there are a plurality of flowable products in bulk containers for use within the service department, the improvement comprising a storage and dispensing device, the storage and dispensing device comprising a cabinet having a plurality of shelves therein, the bulk containers being placed within the cabinet on the shelves, a plurality of dispensing outlets located in a wall of the cabinet, a plurality of individual pumping means, first conduit means extending between each bulk container and a respective one of the pumping means and second conduit means extending between each one of the pumping means and a respective dispensing outlet.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling costs and inventory in a service department of an automobile dealership wherein a plurality of flowable products in bulk containers are used for servicing a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of installing a cabinet having a plurality of shelves therein, for receiving the bulk containers, a plurality of dispensing outlets being located in a wall of the cabinet, a plurality of individual pumping means, first conduit means extending between each bulk container and a respective one of the pumping means and second conduit means extending between each one of the pumping means and a respective dispensing outlet, placing the bulk containers on the shelves and restricting access to the bulk containers, and permitting the dispensing of individual predetermined portions of the products from the bulk containers.
The storage and dispensing device preferably has drainage outlets situated below the dispensing outlets and a drainage container located below the drainage outlet for collecting any spillage of any of any of the products after they have been dispensed or during the dispensing process.
There is preferably provided a control button adjacent each dispensing outlet, each control button being operatively connected to a respective pumping means to operate the pumping means to dispense a predetermined portion. It will be understood that the control means for doing so are well known in the art and that the pumping means may be operated for a predetermined period of time to dispense the predetermined portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the pumping means comprises a pump and an electric motor of the type well known in the art.
The cabinet itself is preferably arranged to provide a suitable locking mechanism and there are also provided vent means in an upper portion of the cabinet.
In a preferred embodiment, the cabinet is provided with a pair of doors with a first one of the doors having the dispensing outlets therein and a second one of the doors providing access to a storage portion of the cabinet. There may be provided an arrangement wherein the shelves are slidably mounted within the cabinet.
The dispensing system of the present invention will utilize a pumping system for each type of chemical and provides for easy access to the bulk containers. Since each chemical can have deleterious effects on various conduits and the like, each conduit and associated pump must be designed to have components resistant to the particular chemical.
Examples of typical chemicals which may be employed are windshield cleaner, plastic cleaners, metal cleaners, engine cleaners, rim cleaners, etc.
In a preferred aspect of the method of the present invention, each technician in the shop is assigned a tool kit and key to access the dispenser. A log is kept of all uses and the cost of the materials is charged to each technician. By so doing, Management is able to identify the return for each of the technicians.